January 26 to February 1, 2011
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R5,50 (incl vaT Rsa) Reg no. 1920/002058/06
Education hopes for 2011
Church outreach to Seafarers Page 9
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no 4711
Did Jesus drink alcohol? Page 7
SA joy at JPII beatification By CLaiRE MaThiEson
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Pilgrims from the diocese of Port Elizabeth are seen at a team-building weekend in Jeffrey’s Bay as part of their preparation for this year’s World youth Day to be held in Madrid, spain. The pilgrims have been preparing by incorporating spirituality, fundraising and social engagements into their journey. They will attend the international event in august which carries the theme: “Rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith”.
Pope urges young drivers to be careful P OPE Benedict asked young people not to hide their energy and enthusiasm, but to be realistic about the risks they take and, especially, to be extra careful when driving. Speaking in Italian at the end of his weekly general audience, Pope Benedict addressed young people after offering special greetings and prayers to about 100 members of “Children in Heaven”, an Italian association of parents whose children have died. The pope told the parents he knew it
took strength not to be crushed by “the often tragic death of your children”, and he urged them to look to Mary as a sign that parents are right to hope in the eternal life of their children who die before them. But he also said he wanted to address young people: “In the exuberance of your youth, don’t forget to calculate risks and act at every moment with prudence and a sense of responsibility, especially when you are driving an automobile and have your life and that of others in your hands.”
Jesus was a refugee By John Thavis
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ESUS was a refugee—a fact that should be remembered as societies deal with modern issues of emigration and immigration, Pope Benedict said. “Migration today sometimes is voluntary and at other times, unfortunately, is forced by wars or persecution, often in dramatic conditions,” the pope said. From its very beginnings, the Church has taken an interest in these situations, he said. “The parents of Jesus had to flee their own land and take refuge in Egypt, in order to save the life of their child: the Messiah, the son of God, was a refugee,” he said. Throughout the centuries, he said, Christian populations have at times suffered the necessity to leave their homelands, impov-
erishing the countries where they and their ancestors had lived. On the other hand, the pope said, the voluntary migration of Christians through the ages has increased the Church’s missionary dynamism and ensured that the witness of faith reaches new frontiers. The pope made the remarks at the Vatican on a day that was celebrated in most countries as the World Day for Migrants and Refugees. Late last year, he issued a message on the theme of this year’s celebration, “One Human Family”. The pope said he wanted his message to underline that in the Church’s vision, human migration has a unifying goal: to form a single human family that is enriched by differences but that lives without barriers.—CNS
N May 1, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI will beatify John Paul II (pictured) and the news has been welcomed by both local and international Catholics. Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, Archbishop of Durban said there was no doubt that Pope John Paul was a great man of God. “He had a deep spirituality which was firmly grounded in his strong faith in and warm love for Jesus Christ,” said Cardinal Napier. “There was always something about him that left you knowing that you were in the presence of a great and holy man, and yet you could feel quite comfortable and at ease with him, even crack a joke with him,” said Cardinal Napier who added that the late pontiff had a way of looking at any person that left one feeling that their true feelings had been observed. The cardinal said Pope John Paul will be remembered for his “soft spot for Africa in general and for the bishops of Africa in particular”. Cardinal Napier said while it was clear Pope John Paul loved all Africa, he believes South Africa was special for the pope. “I recall that he expressed delight when it was announced at the 1994 Synod for Africa that the South African contingent would be absent from a session of the Synod because they were all going to vote for the new South Africa to come into existence.” The cardinal said the memory came to mind during the recent vote in Southern Sudan, where he was part of a monitoring delegation. Internationally, the news has also been well received, with reports from St Peter’s Square in Rome of crowds of young people calling for the late pontiff’s sainthood now. Pope John Paul II was known for his affinity with the youth. During his installation ceremony in 1978, the newly named pope told youths: “You are the future of the world, you are the hope of the Church, you are my hope.” Wendy Rogers, a Catholic teacher at a public school in Alberton, Johannesburg thought it was “amazing that the pope I’ve known for such a long time is being beatified”! When questioned about the necessity of more saints, Ms Rogers said she thought the Vatican was trying to get people back to Church. “He is someone that the people loved. He was the people’s pope. Now he could be the people’s saint,” she said, excited about the idea. It is also fitting that the year Pope John Paul will be beatified will coincide with World Youth Day, an international event initiated by John Paul in 1985. This year’s event will be held in Madrid, Spain in August. Alex Woolcock, a criminology student, said she remembered the pope being quite accessible and “worldly”. “He seemed wholesome and made himself accessible to the masses through the many languages I remember seeing him speak.” Ms Woolcock said she felt “good about him being the pope”. Pope John Paul would have been the first pontiff in her lifetime and has become a benchmark in the Catholic Church for her. “I felt like he knew everything,” she added. While Ms Woolcock thought Pope John Paul was an excellent candidate for sainthood, she said she was unaware of any miracles he may have performed. Similarly, a former St George’s College student, from Harare, Zimbabwe, Jonathan Meyer said he did not fully understand Pope John Paul’s role at the time or any miracles
that might have occurred. “I remember him as being an influential figure, but more in terms of being a religious politician,” said Mr Meyer, who is no longer a practising Catholic. “I think he was a good role model in that he was a good person, a pope.” Mr Meyer said the beatification was of little importance in comparison to his life on Earth. “His position is not relevant to me anymore, nor will him being declared a saint.” Mr Meyer said, adding he thought that John Paul was more important while alive. Dene McLeod of the Good Shepherd parish in Bothasig, Cape Town said the beatification was definitely good news. Mr McLeod said the late pontiff was well respected by both Catholics and non-Catholics and added “his support of Vatican II and reformation of the liturgy mark him as one of the bravest and greatest leaders the Catholic Church has had”. Mr McLeod said he thought saints were true spiritual role models as they are truly selfless unlike “the many dubious celebrities that are offered up as role models by the media today”. Cardinal Napier has expressed the special significance the beatification holds for him personally. “While it was Pope Paul VI who appointed me Apostolic Administrator, all the other appointments were made by Pope John Paul II—Bishop in December 1980; Archbishop in June 1992 and Cardinal in January 2001. Hopefully, some of the virtue and holiness which are now being recognised in the Servant of God John Paul II will trickle down to those of us who worked rather closely with him,” the cardinal said. While questions have been raised about the miracles performed and the speed at which these were investigated, there has been a wave of international support for the beatification. The announcement of Pope John Paul’s beatification was made in early January through unanimous approval by the cardinals and bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, making international headlines.